Piriformospora indica promotes cucumber tolerance against Root-knot nematode by modulating photosynthesis and innate responsive genes.

Root Knot Nematode (RKN, Meloidogyne incognita) is one of the greatest damaging soil pathogens causes severe yield losses in cucumber and many other economic crops. Here, we evaluated the potential antagonistic effect of the root mutualistic fungus Piriformospora indica against RKN and their impact on vegetative growth, yield, photosynthesis, endogenous salicylic acid (SA) and its responsive genes. Our results showed that P. indica dramatically decreased the damage on shoot and root architecture of cucumber plants, which consequently enhanced yield of infested plants. Likewise, P. indica colonization clearly improved the chlorophyll content and delimited the negative impact of RNK on photosynthesis. Moreover, P. indica colonization exhibited a significant reduction of different vital nematological parameters such as soil larva density, amount of eggs/eggmass, eggmasses, females and amount of galls at cucumber roots. Additionally, the results showed that SA level was significantly increased generally in the roots of all treatments especially in plants infested with RKN alone as compared to control. This suggests that P. indica promoting SA levels in host cucumber plant roots to antagonize the RKN and alleviate severity damages occurred in its roots. This higher levels of SA in cucumber roots was consistent with the higher expressional levels of SA pathway genes PR1 and PR3. Furthermore, P. indica colonization reduces PR1, PR3 and increased NPR1 in roots of RKN infested cucumber plants when compared to non-colonized plants. Interestingly, our in vitro results showed that direct application of P. indica suspension against the J2s exhibited a significant increase in mortality ratio. Our results collectively suggest that P. indica promoting morphological, physiological and SA levels that might together play a major important role to alleviate the adverse impact of RKN in cucumber.

Prognostic factors affecting survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (single center experience).

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is considered to have the worst prognosis of the periampullary carcinomas. This retrospective study was to determine prognostic factors for survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients had pancreatic carcinoma. METHODS: We retrospectively studied all patients who underwent PD for pancreatic adenocarcinoma originating from the head, neck or uncinate process from January 1996 to January 2011 in our center. Preoperative variables, intraoperative variables and postoperative variables were collected. RESULTS: The study included 480 patients (282 males and 198 females with a median age of 53 years. At the time of analysis, 180 (37.5%) patients were still alive. The median survival was 19 months. This corresponded to a 1-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial survival of 44 %, 20%, and 15% respectively. Mass size less than 2 cm (P=0.0001), lymph node ratio (P=0.0001), safety margin (P=0.0001), perineural, perivascular infiltration, age above 60 years (P=0.03), gender, preoperative bilirubin, SGPT, liver status, pre and postoperative CEA, CA19- 9 (P=0.0001) were significant predictors of survival. CONCLUSION: Mass size less than 2 cm, lymph node ratio, safety margin, perineural, perivascular infiltration, age above 60 years, gender, liver status, pre and postoperative CEA, CA19-9 are important predictors of survival in patients undergoing PD for pancreatic cancer.

Hepatobiliary rhabdomyosarcoma mimicking choledochal cyst: Lessons learned.

INTRODUCTION: The differential diagnosis of hepatic cystic lesions is a challenging process especially in case of hepatic rhabdomyosarcoma (HRMS) presenting as hepatic cyst. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We introduce our experience with a case of HRMS in a 3-year-old female patient who was misdiagnosed to have type IV-A choledochal cyst and definitive correct diagnosis was reached after the pathological and immunohistochemical examination of the surgically resected lesion. This case presentation is followed by important practical messages to hepatobiliary surgeons regarding HRMS. DISCUSSION: HRMS is a rare pediatric tumor. Jaundice is the most common presentation of HRMS followed by abdominal pain and vomiting. Great effort is needed to differentiate the tumor from choledochal cyst and infectious hepatitis. Through evaluation using available imaging studies together with clinical anticipation is mandatory for establishing the correct diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Differentiation of HRMs from choledochal cyst mandates through evaluation and clinical anticipation. HRMS should be suspected in any child with obstructive jaundice. Once diagnosis is established, multidisciplinary treatment is the best management strategy and it has proved better surgical outcome and long term survival.